We aren't sand bagging, there's still much to do and learn with this car but we are not as bad as the doom bringers would like to believe. Car looks to be getting better with each test and it's good to see them just getting their heads down and running their program. We deceived ourselves last year, better to get the data in and make sure we get to were we need to be.

I don't think the car is as bad as some are making it out to be, but I don't think it is near the front either.. Potential? It may be there, but they can't afford to waste the first few races unlocking it! It may be too late by then. The best that could happen is that RB and Mclaren and maybe even Mercedes are evenly matched so none of them pull away from the start, it will at least add to some interesting racing if Ferrari are not up to standards. The last thing we need is the finger making a walk of it again!

This thread has been awfully quiet of late. Thought I might give it a bump.

So then Ferrari fans, where do we think we stand?

I am not sure that I can make head nor tail of it all the moment.

My feeling is that we are going to find ourselves fighting with the Mercedes and Lotus at Melbourne which, let's face it, is somewhat rather disappointing.

Before the car was launched I was really hopeful that we would be up there fighting with Red Bull and McLaren - then Jerez test took away some of that hope. By the end of the second test I thought we were starting to turn the corner and we were (slowly!) putting the pieces together ready to look good in the final days of the third test. But now with cancellation of the driver interviews, the rather candid Pat Fry interview and Stefano and Fernando morale boosting speeches back at Maranello it all looks rather bleak.

But then the championship is more than one race, so can we pull it back and get ourselves into the title fight? I guess if it really is tight at the top and Ferrari can fully understand the car and its issues by say the start of the European leg of the season then we might have a chance. But who really knows?

This thread has been awfully quiet of late. Thought I might give it a bump.

So then Ferrari fans, where do we think we stand?

I am not sure that I can make head nor tail of it all the moment.

My feeling is that we are going to find ourselves fighting with the Mercedes and Lotus at Melbourne which, let's face it, is somewhat rather disappointing.

Before the car was launched I was really hopeful that we would be up there fighting with Red Bull and McLaren - then Jerez test took away some of that hope. By the end of the second test I thought we were starting to turn the corner and we were (slowly!) putting the pieces together ready to look good in the final days of the third test. But now with cancellation of the driver interviews, the rather candid Pat Fry interview and Stefano and Fernando morale boosting speeches back at Maranello it all looks rather bleak.

But then the championship is more than one race, so can we pull it back and get ourselves into the title fight? I guess if it really is tight at the top and Ferrari can fully understand the car and its issues by say the start of the European leg of the season then we might have a chance. But who really knows?

So what do you guys think.

Not a Ferrari fan but I don't think the team is as bad off as everyone is speculating...they may have slipped a tad but they are still in the top 4 IMO.

I think it will be one of 2 scenarios, the car will qualify well only to fall back during the race due to tire degradation. Or they've been bluffing the whole time and come out and have a great car. Most likely the first though.

it all depends who's driving - alonso will out shine the cars performance , where as massa will put the car where it should be - when pat fry says " don't expect us to get on podium " -you tend to believe em - it will only be for a couple of races then they will start to get to grips with the problems - it's not doom and gloom munger's , it's wot the team are saying-they could be lying , just to surprize people come 1st race

In their defence, there weren't enough information to have a clear cut strategy before the race. I really do doubt that most of the grid started on option because they knew it was the worse set of tyres. And maybe there was a possibility of rain so Ferrari would want to stretch their first stint as much as they can to avoid additional stop. Canada was obviously a mistake but today...

In their defence, there weren't enough information to have a clear cut strategy before the race. I really do doubt that most of the grid started on option because they knew it was the worse set of tyres. And maybe there was a possibility of rain so Ferrari would want to stretch their first stint as much as they can to avoid additional stop. Canada was obviously a mistake but today...

Which is true. My point is they should try an avoid this happening again in the future. Today it cost them 1 place. Sometimes it will be 3 or 4.

Sligh strategic blunder today, but i'm very happy that we have managed to surpass McLaren already, i remember them being anounced as the team to beat this year. Mabey our car just has more development potential. And mabey more money.

I think the lack of dry running simply meant they were blind about the tyres.

I suspect if the 2 RBs hadn't been so quick, they might have waited a few more laps before pitting Alonso both times, and then he'd run a few less laps on the softs.

So, still credit to RB for forcing Ferrari's hand with their pace.

That said, the Ferrari pitwall was perhaps a tad conservative. They could have left Alonso out a couple laps more each time and still be able to maintain track position after the stops. But then again, who'd know he couldn't do 15 laps on the softs with an almost empty fuel tank?

4 in a row for Massa over Alonso...if this continues surely it might be time for a rethink on team orders

Felipe finished his lap somewhat 20 seconds after Alonso and that's a lot of a drying track. But Alonso is still faster in races and has the better instincts so I don't see why would Ferrari shift their attention to Felipe.

Felipe finished his lap somewhat 20 seconds after Alonso and that's a lot of a drying track. But Alonso is still faster in races and has the better instincts so I don't see why would Ferrari shift their attention to Felipe.

I wasn't suggesting they switch their attention to him, but rather not impose team orders upon him.

Felipe finished his lap somewhat 20 seconds after Alonso and that's a lot of a drying track. But Alonso is still faster in races and has the better instincts so I don't see why would Ferrari shift their attention to Felipe.

I wasn't suggesting they switch their attention to him, but rather not impose team orders upon him.

Felipe finished his lap somewhat 20 seconds after Alonso and that's a lot of a drying track. But Alonso is still faster in races and has the better instincts so I don't see why would Ferrari shift their attention to Felipe.

I wasn't suggesting they switch their attention to him, but rather not impose team orders upon him.

No team orders have been imposed on him this season so I don't know what you are about. Stella AND Alonso made a very risky decision in Melbourne while Felipe was waiting Smedley to take him by the hand and lead him, it wasn't team orders.